The Resurrection
by Joe Stalin
Summary: They've waited to exact their revenge, and now the moment to strike has come. Sonic and co are in for the fight of their lives and there's nowhere to run. With Angel Island destroyed and the entire globe at risk, will 'The Syndicate' reign supreme?
1. Prologue

**The Resurrection of Shadow Fox  
**

**Prologue  
**

**Greetings yall! Joe here, bringing you the prologue to his newest Sonic fic! Its been a long time coming, but finally after finishing "The Legion of Doom" its time to unveil a new fic, and see the return of the character that first got me into Sonic fiction. So prepare for thrills, chills, and all round Sonic awesomeness!**

** Enjoy everyone!  
**

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Sonic nor any of Sonic Teams assets. No matter how much I dream.

--

Station Square hospital. The dead of night.

Doctor Julian Eggman sat upright as always in his hospital bed, the covers snugged tightly around him hiding the straight-jacket that restricted his upper body. Not that he noticed.

He didn't notice much these days.

For the past six months, the good doctor had been the sole resident of an entire wing of the hospitals psychiatric department. Ever since he had been dragged from the ruins of The Vault by a dozen police officers, a heart attack mixed with the mysterious fluid accidentally injected into his chest contributing to his present state, he had remained in a near comatose state. Never talking, never sleeping, and very rarely eating. All he did was sit, confined in his restraints.

No one knew what he was thinking. But behind those forever twitching eyes was a madness that burned with a white hot flame. Thoughts of blood chilling vengeance and destruction against those that had put him in this position. Waiting for the day he could exact revenge against the blue pest that had forever fraughted him.

Little did he know, that that day had finally come.

Unblinking eyes suddenly swiveled to the door, slowly opening as a lone figure in a doctors jacket entered the room. The darkness shrouded his face, but Eggmans eyes never wavered as the figure approached the bed. He eyed him intently as the figure walked up to the bedside, and despite the constricting darkness Eggman could tell the expression on his mysterious visotrs face.

He was grinning.

"Take it easy doc. Your coming with me".

Eggman face didn't react but his eyes flared and pupils dilated, a thin line of dribble hanging from his upper lip and dripping onto the covers. Without another word spoke, the lone figure began to push the entire bed out into the silent corridor. The Doctors eyes briefly acknowledged the unconscious form of the guard hired to watch him of a night slumped against the wall, before they reached a lift that opened for them instantly. Eggman could not make out his saviors features.

Purple fur highlighted against the brilliant white jacket, a brown trilby perched on top of a head of messy tousled hair. A single fang glistening from a grinning pointed muzzle.

As the lift descended, Nack the Weasel beamed at his liberated companion.

"Welcome back doc. We've got a lot of catching up to do"

--

High above the clouds, majestic against the glistening moon, Angel Island made its serene journey across the sky.

Keeping his eternal vigil atop the stone altar that held the islands power source, Knuckles the Echidna lay against the Master Emerald. The gentle vibrations of the shimmering gem soothed the Guardian, eyes closed in apparent sleep. But this was merely a deception. Anyone attempting to spring on the echidna would learn immediately the folly of their ways against a spike tipped fist. But Knuckles wasn't expecting any trouble. No one came to the island, barring the occasion visit from Sonic in his eternal quest to rile up the Guardian, and the red one was content with relaxing, the gentle breeze coaxing him ever closer to slumber.

He sensed it immediately. Something was wrong.

In a flash, the Guardian was on his feet, scanning down over the altar for the source of the disturbance. He pressed a hand against the surface of the emerald, as if to convince himself that it hadn't been snatched from its position, his eyes still fanning over every square inch of terrain for any sign of intruders.

There was nothing. Not a single thing was out of place. But it failed to convince him otherwise. Knuckles felt it in his bones.

He wasn't alone on the island.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" he yelled out suddenly, both giant fists clenched in front of him. "COME OUT A FACE ME!"

A blur of movement caught the very corner of his eye. Spinning rapidly on his heels, Knuckles came face to face with an all too familiar face.

It was him. Or at least, it looked liked him. There before the Guardian, its features lit up by the eternal glow of the Master Emerald, stood a metallic version of himself. A pair of simmering red eyes stared back at him from a mouthless angular face, white metallic gloves clenched in front of it in a mirror likeness of the Guardians stance. Knuckles eyed the razor sharp spikes on the tips of the gloves intently, the light of the gem catching them viciously. He clenched his teeth and lowered his body in a fighting stance, snarling as he saw the metallic do the exact same thing.

"I'll give you one chance, and one chance only" he growled through his gritted teeth. "Get off my island"

Whether or not the metal was programmed to speak, it remained crouched in its fighting stance. It was more than enough of an answer for the Guardian.

"Fine. Have it your way"

With a flash of fists, Knuckles and the metal clashed in the middle of the altar, neither budging an inch as the Master Emerald bathed them in emerald light.

Knuckles didn't notice the lone black figure watching the fight, a wry smile on his muzzle as he eagerly awaited the outcome from his vantage point.

Either way, the Master Emerald would be his.

And Angel Island would fall.

--

The Death Carrier hung like a preying mantis in mid air, moonlight bathing its glistening black hull.

On the mighty flight deck, an albino white fox eyed a monitor screen image of Station Square and several other major cities around the world. Another screen flashed an image of Angel Island in all its glory, drifting above the ocean.

A bandaged hand swept aside the bangs of hair from his eyes, a singe of pain causing his teeth to clench. He was used to the pain. Pain was almost redundant to him these days. But in a matter of days, he would turn that pain into victory. And make everyone who had ever crossed him suffer at the same time.

Soon, oh so very soon, his plan would come to fruitition.

A cruel smile tugging his lips, Shadow Fox awaited his allies to return to him.

His resurrection had begun.

--

**Prologues over! Next time comes the real thing! Until next time peeps!**

**Joe.**


	2. The Gathering

**The Resurrection of Shadow Fox  
**

**Chapter 1- The Gathering **

**Greetings yall! Joe here, bringing you Chapter 1 of his latest Sonic fic! Up ahead, a new villain, some returning heroes, and the beginning of Shadow Fox's latest plot!  
**

** Enjoy everyone!  
**

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Sonic nor any of Sonic Teams assets.

--

It had been six months since Eggmans empire had imploded on itself following the scientists descent into total madness. But it hadn't been long before someone tried to fill the gap left behind...

Sonic was pinned down against the cracked concrete, cold metal claws tightening their strangle-hold around his neck.

The giant mech beared down on the trapped blue hedgehog, the egg-shaped pilot grinning wickedly as he watched Sonic squirm, "I win hedgehog. Admit your defeat, and I 'may' be generous...and make your death a swift one".

Sonic snorted as much as he could, as the air was slowly cut off from his airways. If there was one thing Eggman Nega enjoyed, it was hearing his own voice.

It hadn't been long after Eggmans final defeat that Nega had appeared. Seeing an opportunity to fill the vacuum left by his dimensional counterpart, Nega had quickly managed to conquer much of Eggmans lost territory, extending across several areas of the globe and threatening the stability of the United Federation. Secretly, Sonic had been overjoyed by this new turn of events. With Eggmans permanent incapacitation, the blue hedgie had been worried he would have nothing left to do. Nega's appearance had dispelled his fears, giving him a chance to play the hero he had become so used to doing.

Nega was tough, but just like Eggan before him...he was nothing Sonic couldn't handle.

The mustachioed pilot's eyes widened as Sonic flipped backwards forcefully, the mechs claws still round his neck. The move pulled the robot forwards sharply, unbalancing it and forcing Nega to release its grip. It was a move Sonic was expecting. Emerald eyes flared as he jumped into a standing position some distance from the mech, glaring cockily at the rotund occupant residing in the transparent cabin.

The blue hedgie lunged at the mech, gaining as much speed as he could muster as he tore down the broken tarmac. Before Nega could even hope to react, Sonic jumped into the air and curled up into a ball, razor sharp quills pointed directly at the cabin. He shot straight through the centre of the mech, tearing out its heart as it collapsed on itself in a sparking heap. Sonic landed back on his feet, watching in amusement as Nega untangled himself from the smoking wreckage, uniform torn and face blackened. He glared at Sonic through cracked shades.

"You'll pay for this Sonic! I'll get you yet!"

Sonic chuckled as he watched Nega activate a device round his wrist, teleporting from the scene, "And I'll be waiting for you, Eggbelly!"

Another night, another disaster averted. Sonic didn't kid himself, he loved the day to day hero routine. Nega had started out as a possible threat, but it hadn't taken him long to descend to Eggmans level once he'd encountered the blue blur. One defeat after another was beginning to affect him in the same way it had affected his counterpart, and Sonic reveled in the fact he had such an effect on the would-be dictator. His ego needed polishing every now and again.

Surveying the damage around him, Sonic couldn't help but chuckle. "Someones got a mess to clean up!"

He dashed off at that, just in case the authorities decided it should be _him _doing the cleaning up.

He didn't notice the massive shape emerge over the distance, slowly approaching the city.

--

High above the clouds, the bright blue silhouette of the Tornado cut across the night sky, its body gleaming in the moonlight.

In the cockpit, Miles Tails Prower enjoyed the cool night breeze blowing across his muzzle, orange fur ruffling ticklishly. Down below, he could make out the bright neon lights of the Casino Night Zone. Beyond that was the pitch blackness of the ocean, leading out for miles and miles. Sonic had asked Tails to keep a watch over the city, just in case he fell into trouble fighting Nega's latest takeover attempt. Since he'd gotten no word from the hedgehog, Tails assumed the fight had gone in Sonics favour, and his help wouldn't be required after all.

Tails didn't mind. If anything, he was glad Sonic was taking all the hero flack. Tails had come to realize that, despite early thoughts to the contrary, he really wasn't comfortable playing the ehro. It was too much work, too much hassle. He had been disappointed when Nega had first shown up. The fox had been overjoyed when Eggmans empire had finally caved in, seeing it as a golden opportunity to put his mechanical skills to a more enjoyable use instead of fighting another would-be conquerer. Tails had enjoyed the free time the six months of breathing space had given him, indulging in his passions without the fear of having another nut-case breathing down their necks.

So much had he enjoyed it in fact, that when Nega had first shown up Tails had been unwilling to rejoin the fight despite Sonics eagerness. Whether it was maturity or simply weariness, Tails had happily resigned himself to tech support whilst Sonic did all the real work. It worked for Sonic because he got to be the hero, and Tails was surprised by the fact that he really didn't mind that anymore.

If only he'd thought like that in the first place, he thought to himself. It would have made his personal life in the last two years a whole lot easier.

Tails wasn't the only one who was happy for Sonic to take all the credit and do all the hero work. Knuckles had returned to Angel Island was he was sure that Eggman was out of the picture, resuming his role of guarding the Master Emerald. Sonic and Tails hadn't seen much of him since them, only fleeting sights every once in a while of the floating island as it made its way serenely across the sky.

And so Tails was more than a little taken aback when the clouds in front o the Tornado parted, and he was confronted by the gigantic form of Angel Island.

"Woah!" Tails yelped as the island bared down on him, quickly grabbing the controls and forcing the plane into a climb. The engine protested as the Tornado pitched upwards sharply, climbing almost vertically towards the top of the island. After several heart stopping seconds, the Tornado pitched over the island allowing Tails to pull it back from its climb and stabilize the plane.

Tails released the breath he'd been holding, looking down at the green canopy below as the Tornado flew over the island.

"Whats it doing so close to the city?" he wondered aloud, contemplating on whether he should land or not just in case Knuckles needed help.

He was in the middle of considering this, when a sudden green flash erupted up from the centre of the island, almost blinding Tails. He swung the Tornado sideways as the glow faded as quickly as it had come, plunging the island back into darkness.

"Whats going on down there?" he squinted his eyes, looking for any more sign of activity down below.

As the tiny plane continued to circle above, a low rumble began to shudder through the island...

--

Earlier...

Knuckles chest heaved as he was pinned against one of the altars stone pillars, blood dripping down into his eyes from a gash in his forehead. In front of him, the Knuckles Metallic stared at him with its unblinking eyes.

Knuckles took some comfort in the damage he had done to the metal clone, one arm reduced to a sparking stump where it had torn off by the Guardian. Its body as indented and crumpled in several places, but that hadn't slowed it down as it continued to beat on the Guardian, sapping his strength as he fought to stay on the altar. Shaking his head to clear the blood from out of his eyes, the red echidna squirmed against the hold, his arms flush against the metals chest in a desperate bid to throw it off him. He felt his grip faltering, the metallic mere seconds away from crushing him against the pillar...

"Thats enough"

Knuckles barely registered the voice before he fell flat on his face, the metallic releasing its hold immediately. His muzzle smacked painfully against the stone floor, specks of blood dripping down from the wound on his head as he breathed raggedly. His ears perked as he heard approaching footsteps, a shadow descending across his face as a pair of shoes filled his blurred vision. Knuckles lifted his head painfully, squinting as he tried to clear his vision and look upon the face of his rescuer.

It was a very familiar face, and a very familiar person that he was confronted with.

"Shadow...?"

The black hedgehog smirked down at the injured echidna, folding his arms as he watched Knuckles struggle to get to his feet.

"Don't bother getting up. I'm not staying long" he said, the smile never leaving his lips. Knuckles had never seen Shadow smile before, and it was something he was hoping he'd never see again judging by the cruel twinkle in the hedgehogs eyes.

"What are you...Why are you..." Knuckles struggled to get out, balanced on his knees as he lifted a paw up to his forehead, the white glove instantly turning crimson.

Shadow flashed his teeth. "Reclaiming whats mine"

Knuckles watched as Shadow walked over to the Master Emerald, feeling a burning desire to jump up and stop the hedgehog. But the fight had taken it out of him, and all he could do was watch as Shadow stood on top of the shimmering gem, arms outstretched.

"Don't!" Knuckles staggered to his feet, meeting the hedgehogs eyes desperately. "If you take it...the whole island will...will fall!"

The black hedgehog stared down the echidna with a look of pure disdain. "I know"

Knuckles forced himself towards the emerald, every muscle in his body protesting savagely as pain shot through him. The damaged Knuckles Metallic tensed up as the Guardian staggered towards them.

Shadow merely snorted, and stretched his arms out fully, "Chaos..."

"NO!" Knuckles bellowed.

"...Control!"

Knuckles shut his eyes as a blinding green flash erupted from the emerald, bathing the entire altar in emerald fire.

"...no" Knuckles gasped, dropping to his knees as the glow faded, and the full horror of what Shadow had done was revealed. The black hedgehog was gone, and so was the Master Emerald.

Knuckles felt the first vibrations run up his legs, his heart hammering against his chest as he staggered to his feet.

Angel Island was starting to fall from the sky.

--

Back in the Present...

Nack the Weasel eyed the monitor screen displaying an image of Angel Island, a thin smile tugging at his lips.

"Where's it gonna fall do you reckon?"

Shadow Fox clicked his teeth as he watched the floating island begin its final fall.

"The Casino Night Zone, with any luck" the albino fox purred in reply.

Nack raised his eyebrows, "I've got accounts in some of those casino's" the purple weasel removed his hat, fingering the brim as he continued watching the screen.

"Well then, we're doing you a favor" the fox shrugged absently, his eyes twinkling. "And besides, by the time we're finished you'll have more money than you could win in any casino"

A flash of emerald fire lit up the flight deck behind them. Shadow Fox swiveled his chair around, confronted by the sight of a black hedgehog standing atop the Master Emerald.

"Welcome back Shadow"

Shadow jumped down from his vantage point and approached the two, "Knuckles has been taken care of. He will not be a problem any longer"

The albino fox cracked a grin, flexing his bandaged paws. "Wonderful"

Shadow glanced sideways as something caught his eye. Sprawled in a chair on the far side of the bridge, once more dressed in his usual attire, Eggman eyed all three furries intently. The black hedgehog smirked as he thought that the once great empire builder had been reduced to the dribbling wreck in front of him. How pathetic.

The black hedgehog joined the two furries at the monitor screens, ignoring the mute Doctor, and watched intently as Angel Island plummeted from the sky.

--

Tails bumped and shook in the cockpit as the Tornado pitched down hard, grass and leaves billowing out around the plane as it slowed to a halt. Throwing off his goggles, the fox jumped down from the plane, instantly regretting it as he was throw off his feet. The entire ground was shaking violently, a dull roar drumming through his ears.

Before he had time to wonder about this, Tails was confronted by a horrifying sight.

"KNUCKLES!"

The echidna was sprawled down in the grass, blood pooling from a deep wound in his forehead. Cuts and bruises lined his body, and his gloves were stained crimson.

Thinking quickly, Tails grabbed the Guardian under his arms and dragged him back towards the plane, fighting for balance all the way. Hauling the unconscious body into the Tornado took all the might he could muster, but finally the echinda was bundled and strapped safely in his seat. Tails climbed back into the cockpit and span up the propeller, turning the Tornado round and revving it up to speed. After a few seconds of buffeting, Tails pitched the plane up, sending it soaring into the sky.

He didn't look back as a tremendous roar ripped through the night, shaking the plane and stirring the Guardian from his unconscious state. Eyes flickering open, Knuckles looked up at the back of Tails head.

"Tails...the island...is it...?"

Tails nodded.

Behind them, as the Tornado became but a speck on the horizon, Angel Island crashed down into the inky blackness of the ocean, the water swallowing it in seconds.

And all Knuckles could do, was sob.

--

**Part 2 coming soon!**

**Joe.  
**


	3. The Reaping

**The Resurrection of Shadow Fox  
**

**Chapter 2- The Reaping **

**Greetings yall! Joe here, bringing you Chapter 2 of his newest Sonic fic! Coming up (in keeping with the fantastic new game Sonic Unleashed) some brand new locations, and some more returning characters! All feedback is welcome!  
**

** Enjoy everyone!  
**

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Sonic nor any of Sonic Team or Sega's assets.

--

The frozen tundra of Holoska was regarded by many as being one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, its icy surface free of any form of plant life. Miles upon miles of snow and ice, devoid of any human habitation, where the days were short and the nights were so very long. No one came to Holoska unless they absolutely had to.

The figure dressed in black was one of those that was drawn to Holoska for that very reason. He had no other choice, if he wanted his task to be accomplished.

His fur coat ruffled in the biting arctic wind, its black material blotted with minute flakes of snow. Eyes squinted in concentration being red visor goggles, scanning over the frozen wastes.

A black snow-mobile lay parked several yards behind him, footprints in the snow leading back to his present position. Gloved hands were wrapped round a slim metal rod, LED's flashing across its face at random intervals. A pinprick of light in the centre caught his attention, a soft bleep emitting from within as he waved it in front of him in an arc. Pulling up his collar, he continued forwards, the crunching sound of snow coming with each step taken.

"I _hate_ snow. I _really_ hate snow" Nack growled, his ears stinging from the chill even under his wide-brimmed hat. The weasel focussed ahead through red tinted lenses, nothing ahead of him but a blanket of zone leading out over the horizon. Swinging the device lazily out in front of him, his ears perked as the soft bleeping turned into an alarmed shriek. Nack gripped it tightly, slowly passing it over the area he had just checked. Once again, a harsh electronic squeak alerted him to his target. Stepping forwards, he leveled the rod downwards until it was pointing directly at the snow, ears pressed down against the unpleasant sound emitting from it.

"Bingo" Nack grinned, switching off the device and tucking it into his coat pocket. Turning his head, he gestured at the patch of snow he was stood on.

"Okay boys, get to it"

The purple weasel stepped back as the crimson metallic forms stepped forwards. He watched in vague interest as the identical Knuckle clones began their objective, teeth clicking softly in both excitement and cold.

"No dawdling. I'm freezing my ass off here"

--

Beyond the frozen wilderness of Holoska, almost on the other side of the planet, the neon heights of Empire City burned across the night. Next to the Casino Night Zone, it was the central hot spot for entertainment after dark, glowing skyscraper spires climbing high into the sky.

But Shadow the hedgehog was interested in only one thing. Crimson eyes flared in concentration, cold blasts of air blowing his quills out. One gloved arm was tightly wrapped round a metal spire, the black hedgehog leaning over a drop of several hundred feet to the bustling street below. In his other hand was the object of his unwavering attention.

It glistened in the neon splashed atmosphere, its surface smooth like glass and warm to the touch even under gloved hands. More valuable than any gem on the planet, and twice as beautiful as any equivalent. But its aesthetic beauty was only scratching the surface of its true power. Hidden to all but a few who had the knowledge of their potential. And Shadow was one of those people.

Oh, he knew the true power of Chaos energy.

And he was going to use it to change the world.

--

He felt the throbbing pulse under his palm, fingers stretched out over its surface and bathed in its eternal glow.

It had been moved from the flight deck to the very centre of the ship, wires and cables hooking it into the computer matrix. So much power was dangerous and difficult to control unless you were a genius. And the albino fox was a genius. The greatest in fact.

Reluctantly, he removed his hand from the shimmering gem, feeling the warmth leave his fingers instantly. He looked down at it, at the tightly wrapped bandages leaving not an inch of skin exposed. Once they had been bloodied and ragged, but over the months they had healed enough to leave the gauze unstained. It would be worth it, and soon he would be able to remove them for good. Tentatively he flexed his fingers, wincing at the shot of pain that danced through them. It only lasted a second, and he had long ago become used to pain to the extent he had almost become numb to it. Almost.

The fox didn't like dwelling on his own weaknesses. It wasn't in his nature to accept that he was mortal. After all, he hadn't been born naturally. He had been created in a freak accident, and though he looked mature beyond his years, his physical form was barely two years old. If one looked closely enough they would find faded scars behind the white fur, ones that the surgeons had been unable to remove completely. Just thinking back to that time made him wince. The stress had been enough to turn his fur white, so no longer could he pull off the evil twin role he had found himself playing. But he wasn't just a cliche. He was his own personality, and soon he would imprint that on the entire planet.

Once everything had been put into place, the past would indeed be nothing but a memory.

Shadow Fox didn't look back. He only looked forwards. And he was savoring every moment.

--

The Eggman Empire had once stretched across over ninety percent of the planet. In its heyday it had sprawled over every landmass and continent, suppressing all those unlucky enough to be caught under its shadow.

These days it was an entirely different story. Although Eggman Nega had managed to consolidate and rebuild the remnants of the empire since his arrival in the Prime Universe, it was little more that a patchwork series of subjugated zones, the largest of which lay several hundred miles away from the border with the United Federation. A city of metal dominated by the forbidding fortress that was the Egg Dome, the capitol building of Eggmans ragtag dictatorship.

It was here that Nega sat, sullen and fuming from his latest stinging defeat. His nostrils flared over his grey moustache, eyes glaring behind blue tinted shades.

"How can this be!? In my zone that blue rat was history! Extinct! What am I doing wrong?"

As this thought continued to swim round the recesses of his mind, a small red light began to pulse on the dashboard in front of him. His eye flickered over it lazily.

"Whats that?"

A low roar caused his head to snap up. Something was flying over the Egg Dome. But that was impossible, the alarms would have alerted him sooner. Anything approaching the limits of the city was instantly scanned and shot down if deemed necessary. But no alarm had gone off, no warning had emitted. So that meant only one thing.

Someone was blocking his instruments.

No sooner had Nega come to this conclusion when a massive explosion blew him out of his seat, debris and sparks shattering through the room. A cloud of dust blinded him, sprawled on the floor trying to get to feet. Above him, stars glistened down from a gigantic hole torn into the dome, flames lining the edge of the tear. The burning embers flickered as something large descended into the room, fire glistening off it body work.

Nega coughed raggedly, the dust and curling black smoke choking and burning his throat. Tears streamed down his face, blurring his image of the thing slowly approaching him, its heavy footsteps sending vibrations through the floor. Nega pulled himself to his knees, one hand covering his mouth from the smoke whilst the other hovered over his forehead in an attempt to clear his sight. Slowly, the thing in front of him came into view.

"You!" Nega rasped, his shades cracked once more and hanging from his ears. Before him stood something so bizarre he could hardly take it in.

The grinning face of Doctor Eggman leered at him, drool slowly trickling down his chin and onto his jacket. The rotund madman was strapped into a massive metal structure, his head and shoulders the only things not encased in steel. His arms were strapped into giant moveable gauntlets, vicious spikes lining the end of the gloves that were bunched into fists. The doctors lower body was encased entirely in an egg shaped metal cocoon, his legs held up with steel rods and pistons. The strangest element of the bizarre suit of armour was the colour. Red and black, just like the good doctor always wore.

Nega struggled to get his words out, his throat dry and his mind reeling from the shock of it what had just happened.

"What...the hell....have you done!?" he finally spluttered, dragging himself onto his feet and staring wide-eyed at his armour plated twin.

Eggman didn't give a reply, continuing to stare and drool at his bewildered counterpart with a smile that stretched his entire face.

Nega's shock quickly turned to anger as the madman just stood there.

"Its mine now! It belongs to me, you lost!"

"_Oh don't flatter yourself my friend,_" a sudden voice caught Nega off-guard. "_I'm not interested in your pathetic excuse of an empire. My goal is far grander_"

Nega span his head round in an attempt to find the owner of the mystery voice, but apart from the grinning doctor there was no one else in the ruined room. Nega slowly turned back to face his twin, realizing there was only one place that voice was coming from.

"_What I want off you,_" it continued, emitting from within Eggmans armour as the doctor remained mute. "_Is the little treasure you came across in the jungles of Adabat_"

"You must be joking" Nega snarled. "And what makes you think I'd hand the Chaos Emerald over to you?"

_"If you value your pathetic little life...you will" _If anything, Eggmans grin grew wider at this reply.

_"I can be very, very persuasive"_

Nega felt the swept trickle down his back as the goliath ominously walked forwards, gauntlets flashing savagely.

And Eggman kept grinning.

--

Sonic flipped the gold ring in the air for the hundredth time, catching it in his palm and twirling it round his finger. He was bored, and he hated being bored.

Outside a thunderstorm had set in, staving off any opportunity for the blue hedgie to go out for a run which he normally did to ease off the boredom. Sighing, he ran a hand through his quills, flicking them up before they fell inevitably back into place. What he wouldn't give for Eggman right about now.

The phone ringing broke his boredom temporarily, and his hand was instantly on the receiver.

"Yo Tails," he smiled as the familiar voice of his favorite fox reached his ear. "What up?"

The smile faltered as he listened to the reply, holding the phone tighter against his ear.

"Run that over me one more time bro"

Outside, the storm picked up.

--

**End of Part 2.**

**Stay tuned for more!**

**Joe.**


	4. Darkest Storm

**The Resurrection of Shadow Fox  
**

**Chapter 3- Darkest Storm **

**Greetings yall! Joe here, bringing you Chapter 3 of his new epic Sonic fic! Coming up, a new character rears his head, and the gathering of the Chaos Emeralds continues! All feedback welcome!  
**

** Enjoy everyone!  
**

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Sonic nor any of Sonic Team or Sega's assets.

--

Far away from the gathering storm, a lone figure looked up at the dazzling night sky.

"So, this is the place. It seems...quieter than I thought"

A pleasant tingle ran up his spine, the cool night breeze tickling the soft fur on the back of his neck. He pulled the long coat he was wearing tighter, the overlong sleeves rolling down his arms as he did. Several sizes too big for him, it was the only personal artifact in his possession. Momentarily, sadness flickered across his face as he observed the twinkling lights above him.

"Beautiful. So beautiful"

A hand flicked the bangs of hair out of his face, a new look of determination crossing it as he scanned over the rolling valley below him, the vaguest shimmer of light on the horizon his immediate focus.

"Wherever you are...I'll find you"

He jumped down from his vantage point, and as soon as his feet touched the ground he booted down the slopping incline, eyes rivetted ahead.

"I'll find you Sonic the hedgehog"

--

Sonic leered at the gathering storm clouds, the window pane running with rain that continued to spatter against the glass.

"Rain. Why does it always have to rain on me?" the hedgehog sighed, his feet itching from the forced confinement. He hated water at the best of times, but when it prevented him from running that was a step too far. Sonic couldn't think of a worse torture than being unable to run, something he was relieved Eggman had never took advantage of all those times he'd had him at his mercy.

"It fits the present mood perfectly" he heard Tails mutter behind him, rolling his eyes as he finally turned away from the window.

"Way to lift my spirits Tails"

The orange fox furrowed his brow as he watched the blue hedgehog collapse into a threadbare armchair. "Aren't there more important things to worry about at the moment Sonic? Not concerning the weather?"

"Hey, cool the third degree pal" Sonic lifted his hands in mock defense. "I am taking things seriously" he slouched further back into the chair, folding his arms behind his head.

"Very seriously indeed" the blue hedgehog yawned widely and shut his eyes, much to the annoyance of the twin tailed kit.

"Sonic!" Tails yelled, earning a chuckle from the blue one.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Sonic jumped out of the chair, walking up to Tails and slapping him on the back. "Man your easy!"

Tails huffed, jabbing the hedgehogs chest with a finger. "Just be thankful Knuckles isn't here, cos he wouldn't take it kindly"

Sonic raised an eyebrow "Your telling that to the guy who's been at the receiving end of many an angry echidna fist?"

"You'd have thought that would have knocked some sense into you" Tails sighed, unable to stop a small smile. The hedgehog had a way of making Tails smile even when the moment didn't call for it. "Then again, this is you we're talking about"

Sonic bit his tongue at this, forcing back a laugh. "Woah, where did you get that smart mouth from all of a sudden?"

"I learned from the best" Tails smirked. "Besides, I'm bored of the whole 'sweet innocent kid' shtick"

The blue hedgehog tutted "And you used to be such a nice kid"

Sonic looked over the two tailed fox, finding it hard to believe that the young adolescent was once the tiny little ball of fluff he'd 'adopted' as his little bro all those years ago. He was taller by a few inches, still not quite Sonics height but catching up fast, orange fur now exhibiting the signs of muscle tone that hadn't been there before. His hair was now longer, the three bangs on his forehead sweeping over his eyes only to be flicked back every once and a while by the fox. Even his voice was showing signs of maturity, less high pitched than once it was. This, coupled with the fox's recent frequency in wearing clothes, made it clear that Tails wasn't really a kid anymore.

Sonic didn't know what was worse. The fact that Tails was getting older, or that he was.

"Seriously though," Tails said, all hint of amusement now gone. "What are we going to do Sonic?"

Sonic shrugged "Not much we can do. If Angel Islands gone, there's not much hope of getting it back. That waters pretty deep" he suppressed a shiver at this. Water had that affect on him.

"Poor Knuckles" Tails shook his head. "That was his whole life. I can't imagine what that must feel like, to lose everything you had"

"Truthfully Tails, I don't want to know" Sonic replied, emerald eyes shining determinedly. "But you and I are gonna find who's responsible, and why"

The fox nodded "You bet"

"Just like old times. Sonic and Tails, fighting the good fight!" the blue one smiled widely, the itch of boredom now replaced by eager excitement.

Tails lifted a finger in question "Just one thing...where do we start?"

Sonic didn't falter for a second "At the source little bro. If Shadows involved in this, we'll go to the one person who'll have an idea of what he's up to"

The kit groaned "You don't mean...?"

"Fraid so" Sonic replied, not liking it any more than the fox.

"We're gonna have to talk to Rouge"

--

Knuckles had heard them leave some time ago. They hadn't bothered to check in on him, probably not wanting to tax him any more than he had been already.

The echidna appreciated their concern. But this was his fight, and he wasn't going to be denied.

Shadow had stolen the one thing that had given his life purpose. Guarding the Master Emerald was his birth duty, his task as the floating islands Guardian as it had been for his forefathers for generations. Now it was gone, and the emptiness left behind was worse than any injury, any agony the red one had felt before.

He would make Shadow pay. He, and anyone else responsible for his stolen life.

Knuckles had heard the one thing he'd needed to hear from Sonic and Tails. He knew where they were going, and he also knew that he would be joining them, whether they liked it or not.

The former guardian looked at the swirling torrent outside, the rain failing to cool the fire coursing through him.

He was going to make Rouge tell him everything.

No matter what it took.

--

"Well, isn't this just peachy?"

Rouge the bat eyed the two new arrivals with a mixture of amusement and disdain.

"I don't normally get visitors in here. Can't imagine why"

"Cut the act Rouge" Sonic snapped, pointing a single finger at the bat from across the table they were sat round, he and Tails on one side with Rouge at the other end of the tiny cell.

"My my, aren't we a little tetchy this morning" Rouge purred, placing her hands under her chin as she propped up her elbows over the table surface.

"We want some information, and your gonna tell us what you know" the hedgehog gritted his teeth, the bat always managing to grate his nerves despite his best efforts.

"Or what exactly, my big blue dreamboat?" she drolled, lips pouting as she batted her eyes at the blue hedgie.

"Believe me, you don't want to know" Sonic replied tersely, knowing full well he could never bring himself to hit any female, even if they were as aggravating as Rouge.

"I'm trembling" the bat turned her attention to Tails, her smile widening as she eyed over his form. "Well Tails, puberty's been really good to you hasn't it honey?"

Tails felt his cheeks heat up, fur prickling under his shirt. He was never able to keep it together whenever Rouge addressed him, not from any sort of attraction but simply down to his shy nature around any girl.

"Those jeans really suit you" she purred, amused at the affect she was having on the poor shy fox. "Nice and tight"

"Leave him alone Rouge" Sonic cut in, much to the relief of Tails. "We're not here for your amusement"

She pouted in mock forlorn "Oh Sonic, why do you always have to be so negative? Life's too short hon, you've got to enjoy every minute of it"

Sonic felt his hackles rising in irritation. Not even Amy was as aggravating as Rouge sometimes.

"Where's Shadow? We know you have some idea where he is"

Rouge faltered at this, all trace of amusement melting from her face. "Shadow? Thats why your here?"

"Yes. So why not make this easy and just tell us where he is"

Rouge's lips pursed so tightly together they became nothing but a thin line on her face, eyes suddenly ablaze with anger.

"What makes you think I have any idea where that creep is? Or for that matter, why I would care?"

Sonic was surprised by this reaction, his eyebrows raising at the sudden change in Rouge's temperament. "You mean...you don't know where he is?"

"That slime ball! That snake!" Rouge continued, almost to herself. "Hasn't even had the decency to visit me in here, and after all I did for him! Miserable little..."

"Woah, woah!" Sonic cut in, trying to defuse the situation before steam starting pouring from the bats ears. "Just...just chill for a second"

Rouge glared at the pair, making them both wanting to recoil as the intense mask of hatred she was sporting.

"So, let me get this straight" Sonic spoke after a seconds pause. "You don't know where Shadow is?"

Rouge let out a mocking laugh "What was your first clue, blue boy?"

"And you don't know whats he's planning?" Tails spoke for the first time, jumping back as Rouge's head snapped towards his direction.

"Oh, the little fox has a voice does he?" she snapped, staring bullets at the kit. "Like I said, I've not seen him. He hasn't been to see me, and whatever he's 'up to', he hasn't let me in on it. Satisfied?"

Sonic stared open mouthed, feeling like an idiot as no words came to him. Weren't they supposed to be the tough guys?

"I guess the old sayings true," he thought. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"

"So," Rouge spoke up, surprising the pair. "I guess you got your answer. Anything else?" she leered at them, almost daring either of them to speak.

"N-no...no thats fine" Tails stammered, desperate now to leave.

"Yeah, err, thanks for your help. Urm, we'll...we'll just be going now" Sonic matched his pals nervous speech as he got to his feet, trying not to look the bat in the eye.

"Oh, and Sonic?"

The blue hedgehog turned at the bats question.

"Next time you visit, make it worth my while"

Sonic couldn't get out of the room quick enough.

--

The shimmering glow of three Chaos Emeralds lit up the albino fox's face, his reflection multiplied in their glass-like surfaces.

"And I thought one Emerald was dazzling enough" he clicked his teeth in a grin. "But these...these are indeed perfection"

Nack the weasel and Shadow watched silently as the fox placed each emerald into a separate container, leaving four vacant slots for the remaining Emeralds.

"You've done very well, both of you" Shadow Fox spoke, turning to face his two allies. "Especially you, Shadow" he eyed the midnight black hedgehog almost in admoration.

Nack snorted silently. "He didn't get frostbite" he thought begrudgingly.

"You know my reasons for helping you" Shadow replied solemnly, his trademark stony face unmoving under the fox's piercing gaze.

"I do Shadow," the albino smirked. "Believe me, I do"

Shadow removed his gaze from the fox, turning his attention to the four empty slots of the emerald container.

"Do you have a trace on the next emerald?"

Shadow Fox nodded. "The Master Emerald has locked onto our next objective. The control emerald will soon be ours"

"So wheres it at?" Nack spoke up, fed up with being ignored.

The fox turned to the giant control screen above the emerald container, an image of a map with a glowing red spot indicating their target. His muzzle cracked into a sneer.

"Oh, I think we can have some fun with this"

Hig above the swirling clouds, the Death Carrier began its descent.

--

Rouge the bat fumed in her cell, hands clenching and unclenching involuntarily.

The nerve of those two, she thought to herself. The very idea that she would have anything to do with that snake in hedgehog clothing called Shadow. She hadn't clapped eyes on the ebony one for months, and the fact that he hadn't even attempted to her knowledge to visit her made it quite clear that any relationship they may or had was well and truly over.

This thought made her sad, something that didn't happen often in her life. She'd like Shadow once, in fact it was his reclusiveness that made him all the more attractive to her. She saw in him a deep sadness she had wanted to fix, and for a time she'd thought she had managed to find a chink in his armour. Shadow was beginning to open up more to her, something he hadn't done since Maria had died.

But then...that had all changed. Suddenly he had become distant again, in fact even more so than he had been previously. All of a sudden, she started seeing less and less of the black hedgehog until finally he had disappeared altogether. She had been hurt by this, but that had quickly been replaced by anger. Just when she thought she had managed to get through to him, he had turned around and blanked her. The ungrateful...

Still, she thought with a smile, there were plenty more skittish boys she could get her claws into. Tails was top of her list, followed by...

"Knuckles"

The bat jumped to her feet at the sudden appearance of red echidna. She hadn't heard him come in, or had any idea on how he had actually _got_ in.

"Well, this is a surprise. Whats a big strong man like you doing...?"

"Where is it?" came the curt reply from the guardian, shutting Rouge up instantly. That voice, that wasn't Knuckles. It was too angry, too hateful...

"Come again?" Rouge replied, before a white gloved fist impacted with her cheek, sending the bat headfirst into the wall.

"I won't ask you again" the echidna walked slowly up to the fallen girl, eyes betraying no emotion.

Rouge stared up in horror as the red echidna loomed over her, his face expressionless as he grabbed her round the neck, pressing her flat against the wall.

"Where-is-Shadow?"

Rouge felt the air being crushed from her lungs, as a powerful fist aimed towards her...

--

It was still raining hard as Sonic and Tails made their way through the deserted street, shoes soaked through from the endless puddles.

"Okay, so were back at square one with no clues as to where we go next" Sonic said as he shook water from his quills. "Still, it could be worse"

"Could it?" the drenched fox at his side muttered.

"Yeah. We could be soaked to our skin. Now that would really suck"

Tails didn't even bother to reply as they continued their trek back to the Tornado, their encounter with Rouge had made them both want to cool off.

Neither felt the pair of eyes staring at them intently from a nearby rooftop, as a lone figure watched their trek through the darkening storm.

"I've finally found him. Sonic the hedgehog"

At last...

--

**Any clues as to our mystery guy yet? This, and much much more coming soon!**

**Joe.**


	5. Sky Chase

**The Resurrection of Shadow Fox  
**

**Chapter 4- Sky Chase  **

**Greetings yall! Joe here, bringing you Chapter 4 of his newest Sonic fic! Coming up- our mysterious new character from last chapter reveals himself, Sonic comes face to face with his old foe once more and a dogfight ensues over the skies of Soleanna! All feedback is welcome, as always!  
**

** Enjoy everyone!  
**

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Sonic nor any of Sonic Team or Sega Japans assets.

--

Somewhere in Soleanna...

Ivory furred hands curled into fists as he eyed the two drenched furry's from his vantage point, ignoring the downpour that plastered his quills down.

"Nows my chance," he muttered, gazing at the blue form in particular. "One way or another, I'll find out what you know"

He crouched down, knees bent, preparing to jump down to his target, every muscle tensed in readiness. His sensitive ears picked up the continuing conversation below.

"You gotta give it credit. They don't call it the City of Water for nothing"

"Don't remind me. I'm damp enough as it is"

His ears perked as another sound caught his attention, as his eyes continued to follow his target. A low whining squeak, getting closer with each passing second...

A massive explosion threw him from the ledge, flinging him backwards as a wave of heat blasted his face and upper body. His head impacted the floor with a dull crack, his vision exploding into shards as a wave of wooziness enveloped his entire frame.

"Damn" he whispered, as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"_I was so close..._"

--

Sonic had to admit, in the seconds he found himself in mid-air from the explosion that tore through the haze, he could always rely on thing.

And that was Eggman to make a grand entrance.

The blue hedgie fought back a yelp as his backside impacted the wet concrete, drenching fur that had until that point had just been damp. In the corner of his eye he saw an orange body sprawled in a heap, already attempting to struggle back upright as the first crimson flames lit up the night. He felt relief that Tails was okay, which quickly turned to alarm as he was confronted by a metallic monstrosity that took even him by surprise. Emerging from the flaming debris, black smoke curling round him like a demon unleashed from Hell, was Eggman. His body was housed inside black battle armour that left only his head exposed, the sound of metal grinding as it stood to full height, towering over the blue and orange forms.

"_Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water, aye Sonic?_" a grating voice echoed from the battle suit containing the rotund scientist, his lips unmoving and curled in a vicious smirk as the mecha took a step forwards, flattening the puddle strewn tarmac underfoot.

"Eggman" emerald eyes flickered in anger, his image distorted in the goliaths reflective casing. Despite himself he took a slight stagger backwards, overwhelmed by what had suddenly confronted him. Eggman didn't seem to care about the thick drops of rain running down his face, his blue rimmed shades trained only at Sonic.

"_How do you like the modifications?_" the voice continued, even as the scientists grin remained frozen. "_Some of my finest work, I just had to show it off_"

The hedgehog attempted to regain his bravado, not wanting to show weakness in front of the enemy he thought finished for good. "Nice threads, Egghead. But I bet underneath all that panelling is the same old flab mountain I've whooped a hundred times before" he flashed a trademark smirk, which would previously have earned him a snarl from the good Doctor.

Instead, the madman continued grinning, his eyes blazing with a hatred that took even Sonic by surprise. The blue hedgie could see nothing behind those eyes but intense blackness.

"_Your appearance has changed since last we met Sonic_" the grated reply. "_And yet, your arrogance is unchanged_"

Behind him, Sonic felt Tails's presence.

"How you holding up bud?" he asked without turning his head, not wanting to take his eyes off Eggman for a second.

"Sonic..." Tails whispered, his voice threatening to crack. "I...I know that voice"

Eggmans head snapped in Tails's direction, saliva flicking from the corners of his mouth.

"_Ah, and there he is. The little sidekick, as always. Another thing that time has failed to change_"

"All right, enough talk!" Sonic pointed at his armour plated foe. "Whoever that is doing the voice, I want some answers before I have to beat them out of you!"

The giant fingers on the battle-suit flexed, glistening in the harsh light of the flickering flames that continued to lick up from the fallen debris.

"_My dull blue boy,_" it purred, in stark contrast to the twisted features of the Doctor. "_I would really like to see you try_"

"I'll take that as a challenge!" Sonic gritted his teeth, feeling the adrenaline start to kick in as the rain beat down that much harder.

Without another spoken word, Eggman lunged forward, a heavy fist aimed directly at the small blue form. In a flash, Sonic dodged the assault, hearing the tarmac splinter as it took the blow in his stead. In the same instant, Tails span up his namesakes and darted aside, hovering several feet up as he watched the mech spin round to confront the hedgehog again.

"_You were unwise in provoking him, Sonic_" the battle suit flexed its talons, pistons tensing as the hedgehog stood his ground. "_I couldn't bare the idea of leaving my old partner in such degrading circumstances, but he is quite a handful. He's quite mad now Sonic, and he'll never stop pursuing you_"

"Just like old times then" Sonic sneered as the right arm of the battle-suit lunged at him, dodging the razor sharp blow even as the shock-wave knocked him slightly off balance on landing.

"_I'll grind you into powder, you insufferable rat!_" it growled, slicing its other arm in an uppercut that would have taken the head off Sonics shoulders had he not ducked a split moment before.

"I've been called worse things" Sonic grabbed onto one of the metal fingers, using it as purchase as he jumped into the air, his foot meeting dead-centre in the suits chest and sending it teetering backwards, a trainer shaped imprint now dented into the shell. The smile finally fell from Eggmans face, replaced with a snarl as drool continued to dribble down his chin.

Tails hovered overhead, anticipating the battle-suits next attack and quickly diving in front of it, diverting Eggmans attention as another shot from Sonic span it around, arms raised in a desperate attempt to strike the blue one with no success as cobalt dodged each flailed assault with ease, openly mocking his attempts.

"_Enough!_" black soulless eyes targeted suddenly on Tails, bringing one of its gigantic fists towards it as one of the fingers fell away, revealing what looked like the barrel of a weapon. At the same time, a panel on the 'sleeve' slid away, an ominous white light shimmering from the black depths as something rose from inside the suits arm. Sonics breath caught in his throat as he realized what it was.

A Chaos Emerald emerged from the battle suits arm, its shining surface glistening off its black armoury. Light grey in colour almost to the point of being white, simply staring at it caused the blue hedgehogs eyes to squint. Still hovering above, Tails's eyes continued to focus on the barrel shaped implement trained on him like a gun, its black iris as souless and empty as the Doctors own. He didn't dare move for fear of what Eggman would do, even if his face was as ever trained on Sonic.

"_If I wanted to, I could shoot your precious little kit from the sky_" the grin returned. "_You have any idea what a beam of Chaos energy to the chest feels like?_"

Sonic held back the growl forming in the back of his throat, wanting nothing more that to wipe the smile from Eggmans face as painfully as possible. But as long as Tails was at threat he didn't dare move, drops of water dripping from his quills and down his back.

"_Thats more like it, my cobalt friend. Time has clearly not altered your priorities_"

Sonic became aware of a low vibration running up his legs, growing stronger with every passing second. Apparently now at ease with the hedgehogs compliance, the battle suits arm lowered a fraction, though Tails continued to eye it warily, the moisture in his tails making it harder to keep afloat. His pointed ears however quickly swiveled in the direction of a new sound baring down on them...

A shadow fell over them, as a massive shape appeared overhead, shaking the windows of nearby buildings as it settled overhead. Sonics jaw dropped on its own accord at the sight of the gigantic flying fortress, purple energy conduits pulsing along its entire length. Sonic hadn't seen its like since the Egg Carrier so very long ago.

"What in Gods name...?"

A grating laugh caused him to once again stare at Eggman, the burning Chaos Emerald lighting up his face despite the intense shadow.

"_And you thought I was finished_" the oily voice berated him. "_You know nothing!_"

Tails's mind went into overdrive, the voice so familiar to him and yet no matter how much he tried he just couldn't place it. Whoever it was it caused a shiver to pass down his spine, something in the back of his mind telling him to be afraid of that voice.

So very afraid.

A spotlight descended on them from the ship overhead, the brightness intense and blinding both furry's temporarily. The battle-suits arm lowered completely, allowing Tails the opportunity to lower himself back to the floor, his twin appendages instantly dropping in exhaustion as he backed away towards Sonics side. The blue hedgie wore an expression of intense frustration, no wanting to give Eggman the satisfaction of besting him now that the kit was safely out of harms way.

Eggmans eyes burned intensely as his lip curling smile seemed to grow even wider, the battle-suit bathed in the glow of the spotlight as a low humming noise began to emit and blue energy coils curled round it. Sonic knew instantly what it was.

"No you don't!" with a growl of repressed anger, Sonic tore towards the battle-suit, his hackles raised as he aimed directly for the Chaos Emerald still poking from the mechs arm before Eggman had a chance of teleporting away. In a flash of cobalt, the hedgehog impacted the black metal fist first.

The impact was so massive, it tore a chunk of the suits arm away in a shower of sparks, twisted metal tearing through the air as the mech stumbled backwards. The Chaos Emerald was flung skyward, a mere speck of light as it disappeared from view. Tails looked frantically for any sign of Sonic, a sudden breeze behind him alerting him to the blue ones presence.

Eggman could do nothing as the battle-suit was enveloped in blue light, disappearing from view even as the mech continued to stagger on one leg. A second after the finished teleport, the blinding spotlight faded away, leaving the pair alone in the sudden darkness.

Tails rounded on the blue one "What were you playing at, Sonic? You could have killed yourself!"

Sonic pouted his lower lip "You know I hate Eggman having the last word, besides I couldn't let him leave with a Chaos Emerald could I?"

"Which you failed to grab, so if you had been killed it would have been for nothing!"

Sonic lay a hand on the kits shoulder "_If_ I'd been killed"

A roar of engines alerting the two heroes to the ships continued presence above them, and already it was pulling away slowly across the sky.

"Tornado?" Tails muttered the question he already knew the answer to.

"You betcha" Sonics grip on the fox's shoulder tightened. "Come on!"

In a burst of blue and orange, the two heroes took off, towards where they'd left the Tornado.

The chase was on!

--

On a deserted rooftop...

Damp white fingers twitched reflexively, even if their owner was unconscious. Drawn towards a pleasant warmth that tickled the very tips of his gloved hand.

They came into contact with something smooth and warm to the touch, sliding over the glass-like surface before gripping tightly around it.

As the rain finally stopped falling, Silver the hedgehog gripped the object in his hand tightly.

Through the gaps in his fingers, the Chaos Emerald pulsed.

--

In the skies above...

Climbing height with every second that passed, the Death Carrier cut across the sky. Thick clouds parted as the arrow shaped nose tore through them remorselessly, engines roaring to sustain its flight as the darkened spires of Soleanna blurred below it.

Behind it, a tiny speck of blue bared down on it.

On the flight deck, Shadow the Hedgehog's eyes watched the small blip on the radar indicating the approaching plane, betraying as usual no hint of emotion.

"We have pursuers on our stern" he looked over at the other occupants of the massive space, the roar of the ships engines reduced to a dull rumble. Two Metal Knuckles stood to attention at the entrance door, their shimmering eyes staring at nothing in particular. Nack walked past them and up to the black ones shoulder, jabbing his finger at the steadily approaching blip.

"They want a dog fight, we'll give 'em one! This thing got any heavy guns?"

"Plenty" the reply came, causing the weasel to turn to face the albino fox. "But where's the fun in that?"

Shadow Fox reclined back in his chair, a smile playing across his lips at the snipers frown.

"As you said Nack... if they want a dog fight," he flashed his fangs. "Then we'll most certainly deliver"

Crimson eyes narrowed as the black hedgehog felt the ship accelerate. "Death Carrier systems online. Power readings at 99 percent. Weapons primed and ready"

He cast an eye back at the approaching dot on the radar screen.

"..._Faker_"

--

Tails was grateful for the goggles protecting his eyes from the harsh wind whipping through the cockpit, pitching the Tornado forwards as the black hulk of the Death Carrier grew steadily larger. Behind him, gripping on for dear life to the planes tail, Sonic squinted against the biting chill.

Pulling down on the throttle, Tails pulled the Tornado into a climb, the little plane accelerating up towards the top of the Death Carrier. Already the engine was at maximum output, struggling to keep up with the fortress as it cut through the sky like a scythe. The propeller roared as Tails leveled the Tornado out, the Death Carriers hull now horizontal with the planes landing gear. Sonic shifted his position, now holding onto the tail one-handed.

"Hold it steady, Tails" he spoke up above the engines roaring, quills in disarray as the wind buffeted the little plane.

Suddenly, the purple glow illuminating the Death Carriers body intensified, energy conduits quickly reaching blinding levels causing Sonics eyes to water. Tails squinted behind his goggles as the entire fortress was engulfed in the purple glare.

"What are they playing at?" the fox snarled, one eye now closed to combat the searing light.

"I don't know," Sonic replied. "But keep on them. Don't let them out of your sight!"

A flash of white light engulfed the Tornado completely, blinding Tails completely and causing him to fumble with the controls. The plane pitched violently, almost throwing Sonic off as he scrambled for grip. Behind his eyelids, the kit felt the glow decrease, and cautiously opened one eye a fraction.

"Its gone!"

Sonic snapped his head up, his entire body having previously been flat against the planes body. "What?"

"The ship!" Tails stammered, unable to comprehend what had just happened. "Its disappeared!"

In front of the Tornado, where just moments ago had been the gigantic fortress, was nothing but star-studded sky. Tails leaned over the side of the cockpit, looking down below the plane in a desperate attempt to relocate their opponent, but there were only rolling fields. They'd left Soleanna behind a while ago.

"Sonic..." Tails started, lifting his head back up to confront the blue hedgie.

"Yeah?"

The kit gulped heavily "I know where it is"

Sonics heart skipped a beat as he realized something.

Tails was looking past him, behind the Tornado.

With a flash, the Death Carrier reared up on the tiny plane. Reacting without thinking, Tails pitched the Tornado sideways, desperate to escape the giant bearing down on them. Twisting against the wind, the planes wings scraped the front of the fortress, ripping it off completely and sending it into a downward cartwheel.

"Sonic! Hold on!" Tails pleaded, his knuckles white from gripping the throttle as tightly as he could, dizzy to the point of nausea as the plane span towards the ground.

And Sonic could only hold on, eyes clenched shut...

--

Back in Soleanna...

Silver was drifting, his body nonreactive. All he could do way lie on his back...and dream.

He was back home, before all this had happened. He could feel the breeze on his muzzle, quills twitching as he sat cross-legged, eyes looking ahead but at nothing in particular.

He felt a presence behind him, his ear twitching but the rest of him unresponsive. He sensed the other sit down beside him, feeling the soft heat on his arm. He sighed softly, but not enough that he was unheard.

"I thought I'd find you here" the newcomer spoke, getting nothing but another ear twitch back. "Your still considering it, aren't you?"

He didn't answer, but he felt his bottom lip twitch, vision blur as his eyes suddenly felt hot and prickly. His hands wrung themselves together, as he tried to hold-off the inevitable tears.

Soft arms descended around his shoulders, pulling him closer to the one he was trying to ignore, white fur connecting with dark as he was held tightly in a warm embrace.

He couldn't help it, the tears were already flowing. He leaned into the hug and held back the sobs now desperate to escape his throat.

"I...I don't want to, but..." his voice was heavy with tears, every word accompanied by a sob. "I...have to..."

"Shh," strong arms started to rock him gently, a warm hand petting down his quills. "Its okay"

"No its not" he sniffed, calmed by the petting even though the tears continued. "That why...I have to do it"

"Its a big responsibility for just one person" a single finger stroked his cheek, picking up stray tears along the way. "Especially one so reluctant"

The smaller cuddled into the embrace, now reduced to just the occasional sniffle. "You know why I can't take you...even if I want to"

"I know," the other sighed, fingers now stroking over white furred ear tips. "But still...why on your own?"

One last sniff, and he reluctantly pulled away from the hug, facing his carer eye to eye. "Cos I'm the only one who can stop it, even if it hurts. I'm the only one who can stop...you"

Now it was the others turn to tear up, even as he embraced the younger one tightly to his chest. "That's why I'm so worried. Promise me you'll be okay, Silver?"

"Silver...?"

..."Silver?"

--

Silver the Hedgehog snapped awake, instantly regretting it as a stab of pain racked his head. He reached a hand back to rub it, fingers feeling over a large lump that throbbed under his touch.

"Ow" he whimpered, shaking his head softly to try to relieve some of the pain. His brow creased as a sudden warmth spread up his arm, looking down and starting at what he had gripped in his other hand.

"What the...?" he gasped at the shimmering white gem clutched in his palm, his reflection glistening on its surface. "No way!" he grinned, now ignoring the irritating throb.

Things were starting to look up for him.

--

Eggmans whiskers drooped as he watched the pacing figure in front of him.

"You lost it? Is that what I'm to presume?" Shadow Fox's eye twitched, fingers twitching at his sides. "You...lost...the Control Emerald?"

The dribbling doctor said nothing, the powers of speech one of the many things now lost to him.

The albino fox got right up into Eggman's face, eyes blazing as his hands grabbed the rotund human by the lapels.

"For your sake," his voice dropped to a blood chilling whisper. "You'd better hope we find it again"

--

Somewhere on the Outskirts...

Knuckles drew the wet cloth across his glove again, examining how deep the crimson liquid had soaked through.

He hadn't wanted to hurt her, but when the red mist descended he was rarely capable of controlling his actions. Sonic had found that out on numerous occasions from the echidna, but even the blues ones gift for irritation had failed to rile up the Guardian as much as he had been in that cell alone with Rouge.

At least he'd had the decency to let her live, despite not giving him the information he'd wanted.

Throwing the sodden clot aside, the red echidna stood up and allowed his thoughts to turn back to the question at hand.

Where was Shadow?

That was the quandary he intended to answer, and God help the black hedgehog when he found him. Because even without Rouges help, he still had a way of tracking down his prey.

Bouncing the red Chaos Emerald in his palm, Knuckles allowed a thin smile to cross his face.

He wasn't beaten yet.

--

**Wow, long chapter this one! Hope you all enjoy it, and stay tuned for Part 5!**

**Joe.**


	6. Return to The Death Egg

**The Resurrection of Shadow Fox  
**

**Chapter 5- Return to The Death Egg  **

**Greetings yall! Joe here, bringing you the long overdue Chapter 5 of his newest Sonic fic! Coming up- the return of an old ally as well as a truly classic creation...the awe-inspiring Death Egg! What new terrors await our heroes inside? All feedback is welcome, as always!  
**

** Enjoy everyone!  
**

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Sonic nor any of Sonic Team or Sega Japans assets.

--

The flicker of flame licked up from the blistered ground, wisps of smoke blown by the breeze reaching skywards. Broken pieces of metal littered the area, jagged and scorched in their final resting places in the formerly damp grass. The Tornado's landing had been rough, to say the least.

A large panel of what was once part of the tail shifted as something underneath fought to escape, before finally tilting over to reveal the disheveled form of Sonic struggling to his feet. His fur was matted with oil and gods knows what else, one glove almost completely torn off whilst the other was badly stained by what suspiciously looked like blood. This was confirmed by the hedgehog with a wince as he flexed his fingers, revealing a nasty gash in his palm which he knew would need seeing to sooner rather than later. He put this thought aside for now as he scanned the area for any sign of a certain fox.

"Tails? You alright bud?" he called out, gritting his teeth as pangs of pain ran up his spine. The landing had been rougher than expected, and he was surprised how unscathed he was judging by the amount of debris underfoot. His eye caught sight of a large piece of wreckage that looked almost intact, and tentatively hobbled towards it. A thin smile crept across his face as he could already see an orange ball of fur dislodging itself from the pile, tumbling over as he lost his footing and unleashing a volley of curses to the amusement of the blue one.

"Damn it!" Tails snarled as he stood back up, leaning on the remains of the cockpit for support as he tore off the tattered flying goggles from his head, flinging them aside petulantly. "Next time, airbags!"

"Sounds like a plan" Sonic interrupted the kits outburst, folding his arms and mindlessly kicking a piece of burnt plane across the grass.

A relieved smile appeared on the fox's face at the sight of the blue hedgie. "Sonic, your okay!"

"Of course I am" Sonic folded his arms, mindful of his injured hand that was now starting to really throb. "Hero of Mobius and all that"

Tails rolled his eyes at the hedgehogs cocky pose "Well maybe this will act as an excuse to start, oh I don't know, riding 'inside' the plane for once...'hero'?"

Sonic chuckled, not willing to let the fox get the last word "Only when your landing skills improve"

Tails let out a low growl, only widening Sonics grin.

"Besides, clinging onto the tail let me roll off when we hit the ground. Meant I had a softer landing"

"And if we'd landed on a mountainside, with sharp rocks to cushion your fall?" Tails raised an eyebrow, waiting to see how Blue would answer his way out of that one.

Sonic paused at that "Well...we'll come to that point when we get there. All that matters is I'm okay, your okay and the Tornado....is a pile of scrap"

Tails's twin appendages drooped at the remark, his hand on the plane now stroking it almost affectionately.

"Sorry" Sonic said sheepishly, regretting now his tactless comment.

Tails lowered his hand and shrugged "No big deal, just another excuse to build another. With airbags this time, thats a definite" the smile returned to his face.

Sonic smiled in relief at Tails's quick recovery. There had been a time years ago when the fox had been devastated if even a scratch had appeared on one of his 'babies', resulting in much needed consoling by the hedgehog before he'd perk up again. Yet another sign of his bros gaining maturity.

There then came a moment of silence between the pair as the last flames died out, leaving the blackened husk of the Tornado still. Sonic carefully removed his tattered gloves and closely inspected his injured palm. Nasty, but it looked worse than it probably was. Tails busied himself straightening the matted fur in his tails, his eye occasionally glancing towards Sonic before he spoke up.

"Okay, so what we've got here is a situation that no doubt threatens the very survival of Mobius"

"More than likely" Sonic replied, kneading up his arm for signs of any further injuries.

"It involves Eggman and the Chaos Emeralds, which is never a good thing"

"Obviously"

"They've got a ship that can teleport and which we have no way of tracking"

"Correct"

"And we have no idea of their next move or what it is they're actually planning"

"Right on all counts, Tails" Sonic finished his checks on himself, finding no other problems that needed to be worried about.

Tails leaned against the cockpit, hands on his hips "So what do we do then?"

Sonic looked the fox square in the eyes "I have no idea"

"Reassuring Sonic"

"But," Sonic raised a finger grandly. "Regardless of that fact, which for the purposes of this heroic upcoming speech we will ignore, we're gonna dust ourselves off, come up with a plan and do what we do best. Kick some good old fashioned Egg-butt and save the day!"

His shoulders sagged a split second later "Somehow"

--

He could sense it. Feel it in the breeze and through every molecule in his body. There was an Emerald nearby.

Knuckles didn't know where exactly he was, but the subtle pulsing of the Chaos energy resonating in the atmosphere threw aside any doubts he may have had. Even without his Guardian training, the pulsating crimson gem in his mitt was all the evidence he required. It was calling out to him from somewhere, begging to be reunited with its true owner.

He'd glided for some time, aided by the tiniest flicker of Chaos energy he could sense which had grown stronger until he could almost taste it. Unimaginable power in its rawest form. Only the Guardians and the most sensitive of advanced equipment could find the Chaos Emeralds when they were hidden, when they didn't want to be found. And they were in danger. It was up to him to prevent them falling into the wrong hands.

And he intended to make sure that didn't happen.

The red echidna made his way down the embankment towards the gleaming lights of a nearby sprawling city, guided only by the soft caress of energy on the wind.

--

Silver the Hedgehog couldn't believe his luck.

There in his hand, rain drops spattering its perfectly smooth form, was a Chaos Emerald. One of the Miracle Gems, something he'd only read about in legends and whispered prayers, and it was lying in his very palm. Its soothing warmth made him forget completely the throbbing in his head and the damp quills now lolling over his eyes, dripping water over the bridge of his nose. The first genuine smile for a long time played across his muzzle. Eyes filled with childish wonder sparkled in the emeralds glow, running a single white finger across it and feeling the faintest tingle through his fur.

He knew the legends by heart. Where he came from, hope was one of the last remaining things people held onto however small, and the Chaos Emeralds were a shining light for many. But he'd never imagined in his wildest dreams that he'd be holding one. And yet, there it was. Calling to him, beckoning him. Promising so much.

A shiver ran up his spine as he became aware once more of his current situation, standing in the rain with nothing but a sodden coat for protection. Hugging the oversized garment around his lithe form, he placed the emerald against his chest protectively. Right over his heart. A surge of heat ran through him, warming every inch of his body and causing him to grasp the gem with both hands. It needed him, he realized. It wanted him to protect it, that was why it had come to him. The young hedgehog felt almost overwhelmed, the responsibility suddenly hitting him like a sucker-punch. Why him? Why did it have to be him?

Self-doubt overwhelmed him and for a second he felt like he'd burst into tears. Why was he even here? He didn't know where he was, he'd failed to get to Sonic when he'd had the chance and he had no idea where to go next. All this, and now a new responsibility had thrust itself upon him.

He glanced down at the jewel cradled in his arms, the soft warmth it emitted still pulsing through his drenched form.

It needed him. It had chosen him...

"No!" he exclaimed suddenly, gripping the emerald that much tighter to his chest. "No more doubts! I can do this! I have to do this!"

The white hedgehog stroked the emerald almost affectionately, a warm smile on his face.

"I'll protect you, and you can do the same for me"

His fingers flexed against its smooth surface as he raised it above his head, the glow in its centre burning that much brighter as it almost seemed to sense his next move.

He just hoped the legends were true.

"CHAOS....CONTROL!"

--

A final dab on his palm, and he was satisfied. Sonic threw the red blotted cloth aside as he finished cleaning his wounded hand, twitching his fingers and idly realizing that this was the first time in a while he'd actually been bare-pawed. He made a note to carry a spare pair of gloves in the future as he surveyed their surroundings properly.

They'd left Soleanna behind a long time ago, mostly from the chase but also in the mile or so of free-fall before they'd crash landed. Nothing but great green fields reaching out to the horizon towards the ocean, the first rays of sunlight glistening through the clouds.

"Well," he spoke up without turning away from the view. "If we're gonna stop them, first thing we've gotta do is find a new means of transport"

Tails raised an eyebrow towards the hedgehogs back "Sonic the hedgehog requiring more than his two feet? I never thought I'd see the day!" he chuckled good naturedly.

Sonic turned his head to acknowledge the fox "Hey, even I have limits. Besides, that thing can fly over water, and I'm sure not going anywhere the wet stuff if I've got a choice"

"Then its a good job you've got me!" a sudden voice caused both furry's to swivel round in shock. Sonic winced as a familiar face came into view.

"Oh no..."

In a flash of pink, Amy Rose was at the cobalt hedgehogs side. Her all too familiar smile grew even wider as she oggled him adoringly.

"Sonic! Its been forever!"

Before he had a chance to react, Sonic was encased in a bone crushing hug that only Amy could provide.

"Amy...breathing...becoming...difficult! Need...air...now!"

Tails shook his head in amusement as he watched the blue one desperately attempt to wiggle out of the bear grip, arms flailing in his direction for immediate assistance. He held his hands up in apology, knowing full well that no one escaped one of Amy's hugs until she was ready to let you go.

"I can't tell you how much I've missed these moments, Sonic!" the pink female squealed, seeming to be blissfully unaware that she was unbalancing Sonic as he struggled to free himself. With a crash and an almost painful sounding grunt both hedgehogs crashed to the ground, Sonic finding himself pinned to the floor with his watering eyes cast skyward.

"Uh...Amy?" Tails finally spoke up, noticing that Sonics face was now turning an interesting shade of purple.

Amy looked up at the fox, all the while her arms remained encased around Sonics twitching form. "Yeah?"

Tails bit his lip and merely pointed at the blue hedgehog, Amy's eyes following his fingers angle until she realized what he was identifying. She gasped and flung her arms aside, Sonic instantly pushing her over in his mad scramble for air. The sounds of hacking and fitful breath taking filled the air.

"Oh, Sonic I'm so sorry!" Amy whimpered, patting the blue ones back despite the murderous glare he gave her as colour returned to his face.

"Amy...one of these days..." Sonic wheezed, his heart feeling like it was attempting to break through his ribcage. Amy shushed him.

"Try not to speak. Get your air back first" she patted him a final time before standing upright, looking at him with maternal love. Blissfully unaware of the incredulous look Tails was giving her.

"Amy, whilst its always, uh...good to see you, maybe nows not the best time?"

The pink hedgehogs eyes were on him in an instant, boring holes in his head with a mixture of anger and hurt written on her face.

"Whats that supposed to mean?" she demanded, not noticing as Sonic crawled away to a safe distance from her.

Tails sweat dropped at her suddenly fearsome expression, holding his hands up warily. "N-Nothing, its just that...we were kinda...busy, before you turned up"

Amy hmphed, folding her arms and pouting. "Typical. You say hello to your so called 'friends', and suddenly they don't want you! I never expected that from you, Tails"

The fox kit scratched his head, feeling guilty and awkward. Sonic, who had regained his natural blue hue and not to mention his breath, pointed at the pink one accusingly.

"Leave him alone Amy. If anyones allowed to be angry right now, its me!"

Amy's bottom lip trembled as she looked at the annoyed cobalt one. "But Sonic...I was only saying hi"

"_In her own special way_" Tails muttered under his breath, careful to avoid her wrath falling upon him again.

"What are you doing out here anyway Amy?" Sonic decided to change the subject, wary that any negative comment could send the girl into floods of tears. And right now that was the last thing he wanted.

Amy's pout vanished with a thin frown "Well I wasn't stalking you, if thats what you were thinking"

"Thats a first" Sonic scoffed, faltering when he suddenly noticed the all-too familiar shape of Amy's Piko hammer now miraculously held in front of her.

"Keep it up sweetie, I'm just in the mood" Amy replied tersely, not actually intending to hit Sonic but wanting to get the point across. It almost always worked.

This was one of those times, as Sonic threw his hands up warily and backed off. "Hey, hey! I was only joking Amy"

"I know" Amy smiled, setting the hammer aside and resuming her loving gaze at her hero.

Sonic squirmed under her heart-shaped stare, not wanting another excuse for the pink hedgehog to pounce him.

"So...what are you doing out here then?"

Amy peaked at his sudden interest in her, beaming as she folded her arms behind her. "Same as you, looking for adventure"

Sonic raised an eyebrow "On your own?"

"Well you do" Amy countered. Sonic chuckled.

"Yeah, but I'm me! Whats your excuse?"

"I'm not just a pretty face either Sonic" Amy smiled darkly, tapping the handle of the Piko knowingly.

"We never said you were, Amy" Tails decided to jump into the conversation, thinking that Sonic may need his backup. "So, hows it been going so far?"

Amy faltered, shoulders sagging in disappointment "Lousy. Its not like the old days, when we were all together. Ever since Eggman went nuts things have been so dull"

Sonic exhaled loudly "Speak for yourself. In case its slipped your mind, its not exactly been a rose garden for me and Tails!"

The pink hedgehog seemed to become aware of the debris surrounding her for the first time "Oh my gosh, what happened here?"

Tails grunted bitterly, not wanting to be reminded of his totalled plane "Accident"

Amy's attention was perked "Sounds interesting. Care to share?"

"One word," Sonic answered grimly. "Eggman"

Amy gasped aloud, eyes widening "Eggman? But..but how? I thought he'd lost it completely!"

"He has. But that never stopped him before" Cobalt replied. "And right now we've gotta come up with a way to stop him"

Amy's smile returned in a flash "Well like I said before, its a good job you've got me!"

"How so?" Sonic asked, unsure of what Amy was getting at. He watched as she reached into her pocket and removed something.

He and Tails could only gawk when they saw what was displayed proudly in Amy's hand.

"Cos I've got a Warp Ring and its big enough for three!"

--

He arrived at a bar that could be summed up in one word: seedy.

Yeah, Knuckles thought to himself as he surveyed the outside of the building, that was the only word he could think of to describe it. Everything from the black painted bricks to the tacky neon sign flickering above the entrance highlighted the bars grotesqueness. That, coupled with the overflowing waste skips and the thick scent of exhaust smoke and liquor, made this the last place the red echidna wanted to be.

Never the less, the unmistakable tingle he felt running through him put all those trivial things aside. There was a Chaos Emerald inside, and by any means necessary it would soon be in his possession.

He paid little attention to the surly brute at the door giving him the evil eye as he stepped inside, nose wrinkling as the unpleasant aroma became all the more intense. The coppery scent of blood was now heavy in the air, and by the looks of those frequenting inside he could well understand why. This was where the lowest of the low came, to drink, screw, and more often than not kick each others teeth in. Of all the places for a Chaos Emerald to wind up...

His train of thought was cut short as a spike of energy seared up his spine, his attention being drawn to a booth in the darkest corner of the bar. Stepping through several bodies over twice his size, ignoring their passing comments of his 'unwanted presence', he walked over with the growing tingle almost becoming painful.

Three figures awaited his arrival. Two of them he couldn't make out, the shadows obscuring their faces, but he could make out enough of the third figure to know immediately who it was.

And he knew instantly retrieving the Chaos Emerald just got a whole lot more difficult.

"Hey there Knucklehead," Nack the Weasel purred, a thin smirk twisting his face. "Its been a while"

--

"Where, in the holy name of Mobius, did you get...that!?" Sonic stammered, pointing at the Warp Ring held in Amy's fingers almost fearfully.

Amy smiled at the reaction she'd gotten from both boys "When I said my adventuring had been lousy...I was kind of lying. I found this in one of Eggman's old bases a week ago and..."

"Whoa, hold it!" Sonic snapped out of his trance, looking shocked. "You went into one of Eggmans places alone!? Without telling anyone!? Jeez Amy, what if something had happened?"

The pink hedgehog blushed "Oh Sonic, I knew you cared!"

"Cut it out, I'm being serious!" Sonic snapped, softening before continuing. "Don't do anything so reckless again Amy, okay?"

Amy nodded solemnly, the blush still on her cheeks "Okay Sonic. I promise"

Tails eyed the Warp Ring closely, scanning over every inch with a technical gleam "Does it work?"

"Well," Amy flipped it into her palm. "It got me here, but I'm not sure how much range it has"

Tails extended his hand "May I?"

Amy passed it over to the fox, moving closer to Sonic in the process until they were shoulder to shoulder.

"Bet your impressed with me, huh?" she batted her eyes, apparently ignorant to the sudden tensing of his body now inches from touching her.

"_Give me strength_" he pleaded silently to every deity under the sun.

Tails ran a finger across the surface of the ring, hefting it in his palm as he tested its weight and calculated its capabilities.

"Hmm, its compact and light so I'm guessing it only has short hopping abilities. But if I could tweak its circuitry, that might give it enough boost for a more longer range"

"Trust you" Sonic teased, amused at the studious look in the fox's eyes as he examined his new toy.

Tails smiled and tossed the ring gracefully into his other hand "Shouldn't take more than a few minutes once I've got the right tools"

He turned to Amy thoughtfully "How did you get it to bring you here Amy?"

Amy looked sheepish, rubbing her foot into the dirt "Well, I just...sorta...pressed buttons until it worked. Then I was here...heh"

Sonic shook his head "And if it'd been booby-trapped?"

Amy suppressed a shiver at the thought "Sorry"

"Its not booby-trapped" Tails came to Amy's aid, giving Sonic a closer look at it. "But from my preliminary look at its circuitry, it seems to have a pre-set destination. Amy was just lucky she didn't press the right combination"

"So where do you think its intended to send whoever has it?" Sonic asked, eying the ring warily. Eggman technology always had an ulterior motive.

Tails shrugged "I've not got a clue, but without knowing the correct sequences we have no way of hopping back home for me to work on it"

"So we're gonna have to risk it and hope for the best?" cobalt asked grimly.

"Afraid so" Tails replied.

Amy jumped excitedly, startling the pair "Hooray! New adventures with the old gang, just like the good days!"

Sonic frowned "What makes you think we're bringing you along?"

The female hedgie frowned at him "You wouldn't leave me alone out here would you? With no way of getting home?"

"Don't tempt me Amy" Sonic sneered. "Don't tempt me"

"Sonic, we can't leave her" Tails muttered bluntly, not caring any more than his friend about bringing her along.

"You sure?"

Amy hmphed loudly before grabbing the Warp Ring from out of Tails's hand and moving away from the two boys.

"No Amy, no Warp Ring!" she folded her arms and pouted childishly, making her stand clear. "Your choice!"

The pair sighed in unison, knowing the inevitable.

"Okay, you can come" Sonic walked up to her and wagged a finger under her nose. "But you stay out of trouble, understand?"

She kissed him on the nose, startling him and causing him to land on his rear with a thump. "Perfectly"

Amy handed the ring back to Tails, the fox helping his fallen friend up whilst holding the device aloft. He made a series of strokes along its surface until it began to glow a simmering orange.

"Next stop..." he started, as the three of them huddled closely together, Amy's hand entwined in Sonic's.

"...Lord knows" Sonic finished, as with a sudden flash of light they vanished from the clearing.

Destination...unknown.

--

Knuckles's eyes simmered at the sight of the purple weasel sat so cockily in front of him. He looked a little older than the last time their paths had crossed, but the trilby hat and oily grin were still there. The echidna's first instinct was to punch that smile off Nack's face like the old days, but he managed to control himself enough to stand eyeball to eyeball with his foe.

"What are you doing here?" he growled, fists clenched for the first sign of trouble from either Nack or the two shadowed figures behind the weasel.

Nack raised an eyebrow, looking almost bored at the ecidna's expected reaction. "Don't make a scene Knux old pal, you wouldn't want to get chucked out now would you?"

Knuckles clenched his teeth, his skin tingling with pent up rage as well as the ever-present Chaos energy that if anything was only getting stronger.

Nack gestured towards the empty seat on the other side of the table "Sit down, have a drink. We have a little business to discuss"

The red echidna didn't trust the weasel any more than he could throw him after a workout from Sonic, but he didn't see the harm in sitting down despite his misgivings. Taking his place on the other side of the sneering hatted one, he kept one eye on the two shadowy goons behind the weasel who had yet to make a move since he'd arrived.

"So," Nack spoke up, looking almost cheerful despite the simmering glare from the echidna. "Hows Angel Island these days? Or am I behind the times?"

Knuckles came close, so very very close to throttling the weasel in front of the entire bar, but he'd willed himself to keep calm. He wouldn't let Nack get the better of him until he got some answers.

"You know about then, hmm?" Knuckles forced a dark smile. "Well why don't you make things easy on yourself and tell me where to find Shadow. Then maybe I'll only break your face instead of killing you"

Nack's grin wavered for a second, eyes narrowing dangerously "Big talk for a guy who's got nothing to his name anymore"

"Neither will you if you keep pushing me weasel" Knuckles growled, eyes burning flaming daggers into Nack.

"Your looking for the Chaos Emeralds aren't you, ant-muncher?" Nack sneered.

Knuckles raised an eyebrow in surprise. How did the weasel know about that? He was a pain in the ass sure, but he was small fry. How could he possibly know?

The former Guardian nodded once silently, body tensing up as the chaos energy running up his skin heightened.

Nack's smirk almost cracked his face "Well what a coincidence..."

A click of metal and the sudden sensation of cold metal against his groin was all the warning Knuckles got of the weasels intentions.

"...So am I"

--

"You have got to be kidding me"

Sonics jaw would have hit the floor if it could, his neck craned skywards at the sight that befell him.

Tails sighed heavily "Why can't it ever be easy?"

Before them, its gigantic form big enough to blot out the sun, was something they'd hoped they would never see again.

The towering form of the Death Egg leered down at them.

--

**END OF PART 5**


End file.
